1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the installation of a satellite dish antenna, and more specifically to a mobile stand on which to mount an antenna.
2. Prior Art
The installation of a permanent television satellite dish antenna is generally by a professional provided by a network service provider. However mobile television users such as recreational vehicle (RV) users do not have professional installers available. Some RVs have a permanently mounted satellite antenna on the roof. These systems are expensive with GPS and other devices to help with setup but they still do not obtain a satellite signal all of the time. Some RV sites, because of the location of trees and other obstructions, leave the permanently mounted satellite antenna with an obstructed view. When the use of a permanently mounted dish antenna's view is obstructed or there is not a permanently mounted antenna, the mobile user needs to be able to deploy the satellite dish antenna at locations that have a clear view to the satellite. Thus, the mobile user becomes the installer out of necessity.
There are satellite dish antenna stands that allow you to install in these situations; however, they have limitations. One of the limitations is the need to find a level location. Some use a tri-pod stand with a bubble level but it can be somewhat difficult to perform the necessary adjustment to obtain the level status. In addition, the mast on most of these mobile stands has some flexibility resulting in a mast that is not a true 90 degrees to the base. If the base and mast are not at 90 degrees, having the base level does not result in having the mast plumb.
Most, if not all, stands and/or alignment devices have relied on adjustment capability on the satellite dish antenna itself for adjustment. To obtain the strongest azimuth setting nuts holding the antenna to its mast must be loosened, slipping the antenna left and right on the mast and then securing the nuts again. The elevation on a smaller dish antenna with a 1⅝ OD post is adjusted by loosening nuts on both sides of a bracket and holding the antenna with both hands, moving it up and down. The signal is located and the nuts are secured while attempting to maintain the adjustment position with no change to the signal strength. Because of a small amount of play in the mast one needs to hold the satellite dish antenna steady with one hand and secure the nuts locking the elevation with the other. However even minor changes in elevation results in reduced signal strength. Final adjustment in this way is frustrating and time consuming while seldom resulting in less than the strongest setting available. However due to rain fade from inclement weather between the satellite and the satellite dish antenna, the signal strength needs to be as strong as possible to have good reception.
The primary object of the antenna stand of the present invention is to provide a stand with simple, easy and quick adjustments that result in an optimum reception of a satellite signal. For the smaller satellite dishes that fit the 1⅝ inch OD post, the object is to provide adjustments in azimuth, tilt, and elevation. For newer dish antennas that fits a 2 inch and larger outer diameter (OD) post that has improved elevation and tilt gauges, the object is to provide an azimuth gauge. A further object is to provide a tool for visually assuring an unobstructed antenna view of the location in the sky of a signal transmitting satellite.